A mother’s unwavering love is at the heart of the Rita M. Barta Memorial Scholarships established in 2018.

Two-time University of Wisconsin Oshkosh nursing alumna Col. Jane C. (Barta) Vesel, of Marthasville, Missouri, created the funds to honor her mother, Rita, who also was a nurse. Vesel dedicates her success to the steadfast support her mother provided during her military career and time as a single parent.

Vesel (middle)

Vesel graduated from UW Oshkosh in 1985 and 2014 with a bachelor’s in nursing and a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP), respectively.

“I feel so blessed that my mom was there supporting me every step of the way,” she said.

The certified nurse midwife is a 27-year Air Force veteran. Her career culminated in various leadership and clinical assignments, including serving as chief nurse executive for the Balad Theatre Hospital in Iraq during Operation New Dawn. Vesel was honored with a UW Oshkosh Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.

The Barta scholarships assist undergraduate and graduate UW Oshkosh nursing students who are single parents like senior Melanie Schnell, of Little Chute.

For Schnell, the decision to return to college as a nontraditional student and a single mother to pursue
a bachelor’s degree in nursing was a “true leap of faith.”

Schnell (top right)

“I am grateful for this opportunity to pursue a career that I am very passionate about, and it will allow me to grow even after obtaining my degree. It has taken me many years to find my calling in nursing,” she said.

Schnell said she and her daughters have banded together to keep their living expenses to the bare minimum while she finishes her degree.

“I am very grateful for all the scholarship opportunities that are presented through the UW Oshkosh College of Nursing. Financial assistance that is derived from scholarships is a necessity for individuals in situations similar to mine,” she said.

“Without scholarship awards, I would either need to take out more financial aid loans, which would saddle my family with more long-term debt, or quit school altogether to return to work full- time. This scholarship money allows me more flexibility to work part-time, attend school full-time and still find the hours necessary to be a loving and engaged parent in my girls’ lives.”

Schnell feels a deep appreciation for Vesel’s generosity in establishing the Barta scholarships.

“With my personal circumstances, it is very gratifying to know that I will be paying it forward in my quest to help and care for others,” she said.